2000
#102,691
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 162
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Nigon
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly related to the French word "niguedouille" meaning trifle or nonsense.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 243 Americans carry the last name Nigon. That puts it at #92,936 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,410,512 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Nigon surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
243
1 in 1,410,512
Census rank
#92,936
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
212
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 212 bearers of the surname Nigon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 92936th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Nigon, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Black (3.3%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Nigon
The surname NIGON is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. Its earliest roots can be traced back to the 13th century, when it was likely derived from the Old French word "niguene," which meant "lazy" or "idle."
During the Middle Ages, NIGON was a descriptive nickname given to someone perceived as lazy or idle, perhaps referring to their work ethic or occupation. The name may have also been associated with certain trades or professions that were viewed as less physically demanding or strenuous at the time.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the NIGON surname can be found in the historical records of the village of Besançon, located in the Franche-Comté region of eastern France. In a document dated 1287, a certain Jean NIGON is mentioned as a resident of the village.
Throughout the centuries, the NIGON name appeared in various historical records and documents across France. In the 16th century, a prominent individual named Pierre NIGON was a wealthy merchant and landowner in the city of Lyon. He was known for his success in the silk trade and his philanthropic endeavors.
Another notable figure with the NIGON surname was Jacques NIGON, a French scholar and writer who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1628 in the town of Dijon, he authored several works on philosophy and theology, and was highly regarded in academic circles of his time.
In the 18th century, a family by the name of NIGON played a significant role in the wine-making industry of the Burgundy region. The NIGON vineyards were known for producing high-quality wines, and their name became closely associated with the region's winemaking traditions.
Moving into the 19th century, Jean-Baptiste NIGON was a notable French artist and painter who specialized in portraiture and landscape paintings. Born in 1815 in the city of Marseille, his works were exhibited at various prestigious salons and galleries during his lifetime.
Over time, the NIGON surname has undergone slight variations in spelling, such as Nignon, Niguon, or even Nygon in some regions. These variations may have been influenced by local dialects or regional pronunciations of the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Nigon
Among Census respondents with the surname Nigon, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Black (3.3%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Nigon bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Nigon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.3% · 202
- Black or African American3.3% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Nigon
Nigon appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#108,734
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 163
+1 bearers (+0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 6,043 places
2020
#92,936
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 212
+49 bearers (+30.1%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Up 15,798 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #102,691 | 162 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #108,734 | 163 | 0.06 | +1 bearers (+0.6%) | Down 6,043 places |
| 2020 | #92,936 | 212 | 0.07 | +49 bearers (+30.1%) | Up 15,798 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Nigon surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #108,734 | #92,936 | 14.5% |
| Count | 163 | 212 | 30.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.07 | 18.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Nigon bearers went from 163 to 212 (+30.1% change). The surname moved up 15,798 positions in the national ranking, going from #108,734 to #92,936.
FAQ
Nigon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Nigon?
Name Census estimates that about 243 living Americans carry the surname Nigon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,410,512 residents.
How common is Nigon?
Nigon ranks #92,936 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 212 people with the surname Nigon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (243), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Nigon.
Has Nigon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Nigon went from 163 recorded bearers to 212. That is an increase of 49 (+30.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #108,734 to #92,936.
What does the Census say about the background of Nigon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Nigon, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.3%. The next largest groups are Black (3.3%) and Hispanic (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Nigon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.3% (202 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Nigon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.3%), Black (3.3%), Hispanic (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Nigon (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Nigon mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly related to the French word "niguedouille" meaning trifle or nonsense. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Nigon (0.07 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Nigon?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Nigon at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.